what i'm playing right now (january 2025)

it's not really any of my business but you should lay off the jensin impact

If you know me, it’s easy to tell that I am a proud and avid gamer. I love a good cozy game. I love Animal Crossing, but I also love Destiny 2.

I’ve been playing games since I was a little kid. I think my first foray into gaming was Age of Empires I. Shows my age. (no it doesn’t)

I played Minecraft Classic mode on a web browser and then played version 1.5 for a long time before I updated to version 1.13. That was a crazy difference.

I played TF2 religiously in 2016 (but only Capture the Flag mode on the 2Fort map because I wasn’t actually good at it at all). I main Sniper by the way. Occasionally Engineer. I don’t think I have ever once played as Demoman or Heavy.

I go through the occasional Destiny 2 phase and I never have any idea what I’m actually supposed to be doing in that game.

So, here’s what I’ve been playing too much recently.

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1. Genshin Impact

This is one of those games that just innately feels embarrassing to admit that you play. Nonetheless, I think this game is beautiful. The art style is just stunning. I love running around Mondstadt. I love attempting to climb everywhere in Fontaine.

The world in Genshin Impact is huge. There is so much to do. Honestly it’s one of those games where there’s too much to do.

It’s obviously a very famous gacha game, but I have yet to figure out the enticement aspect of spending real money on the game. Why would I buy a new little slightly different outfit for a character I don’t own? I may be missing something here. I just go through phases of enjoying it and grind for a while. I play a lot for a while, upgrade my weapons and characters, and then stop for a while. The cycle repeats.

I do feel that there are way too many quests. I am the type to want to complete every quest on my list like it’s a to-do, but I somehow keep adding more as I play through it. World quests, commissions, the main quest… it’s all a bit much. Let me focus on one thing at a time.

I also think it’s rather silly to have a cutscene, then move 10 feet, and then have another cutscene. The dialogue is halfway skippable, but still, I just want to play. I don’t think I ever stop and read/listen to the dialogue, mostly because I hate Paimon’s voice and keep the voice audio off.

This is an unpopular opinion I think, but as I said, I HATE Paimon. I play in English, and her English voice is frustratingly annoying. Every other voice in the game is perfectly fine, but Paimon sounds awful to me.

It may seem like I have more complaints about this game than I do praises.

But these gripes are made up for with the beautiful art style and freedom to do whatever. I just like gathering stuff. That’s the woman in me, I suppose.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

I honestly find a few similarities in gameplay between The Witcher 3 and Genshin Impact. They are completely and totally different games, I know, but they both have that never-ending quest list and the freedom to do whatever in a large world.

I am only adding this game to this list because Geralt is hot.

That’s not the only reason I like this game a lot! It’s one of them. I do love this game so far. The combat is very well executed, and while I haven’t finished the story yet, it’s engaging and significantly easier to follow than the main plotline in Genshin Impact. I’ve also read that there are multiple endings to this game, which means I get to play it multiple times. :)

Most of the time I’m running around with Roach trying to clear all the message boards throughout the world. I occasionally then switch back to the main plotline when I’ve run out of contracts that are at my recommended player level.

I have too many crowns than I know what to do with, so I often end up purchasing too much bread and wine from the local bar.

I also recently learned that you can go to a BROTHEL in this game and purchase a night. How SCANDALOUS! Geralt, you dirty dog.

I have not watched the Netflix show. I do not know if I want to. I like the game a lot, and I’m not yet sure how I feel about TV/film adaptations of video games.

I’ll continue playing through The Witcher 3 and hopefully finish it soon. It’s another on-for-a-while, off-for-a-while game.

It reminds me of my favorite video game, Drakensang, but without the DnD-style play.

3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (plus the DLC)

I love Animal Crossing so much. This game is adorable. I have played City Folk in the past, which was my first introduction to the series alongside Pocket Camp, and I only got into this title in mid-2024.

I started my world, Buggy (named after my dear departed hamster, may she rest in peace), with the villagers Pashmina and Aurora. Aurora has since left my island for greener pastures, but Pashmina is still living the sweet life. She’s not always as creepy as she is in the photo below.

My home’s interior is ranked by the Happy Home Academy at a steady 86,000 points, but it’s the way I like it so I don’t really care. Still paying off the upper floor home upgrade loan. I am so glad Tom Nook doesn’t charge interest otherwise I would be in some deep… water.

It took me too long to realize what the point of Harv’s Island was. Oops. Now it’s very nice, and I get to see Leif every day. I’m sorry Kicks that I never buy anything from you.

I kind of hate the way my island is set up at the moment, but it is entirely too much work to change up the whole thing, so I just leave it how it is.

Other villagers on my island include Ellie, Samson, Boris (I want him to leave so bad), Naomi, Walt, Pekoe (my favorite next to Pashmina), Kurt, Wolfgang, and Miranda (she’s leaving so I have to find a replacement soon). I replaced her with Rhonda.

I usually base my villager picks first on what their house looks like, and second on what they look like. Sounds weird, but I want a certain vibe for my island, okay?

I also just recently got the DLC for this game. I had put it down for a little while previously to getting it, but it has really revitalized my love for the game. Happy Home Paradise is a great way for players who are running out of things to do to get back into the game. It’s got more content than I anticipated it having.

I can definitely see why people love New Horizons so much. It is a really good game.

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Anyways, those are the three games I’ve been rotating between recently. I’ll make another one of these when I have another three different games I’m playing in a few months.

What have you been playing? I want to know.